SARS-CoV-2-associated gut microbiome alteration; A new contributor to colorectal cancer pathogenesis

Shahrooz Amin Mozaffari; Ali Salehi; Elnaz Mousavi; Burhan Abdullah Zaman; Ali Eslambol Nassaj; Farnoosh Ebrahimzadeh; Hadi Nasiri; Zahra Valedkarimi; Ali Adili; Ghazaleh Asemani; Morteza Akbari

doi:10.1016/j.prp.2022.154131

SARS-CoV-2-associated gut microbiome alteration; A new contributor to colorectal cancer pathogenesis

Pathol Res Pract. 2022 Nov:239:154131. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154131. Epub 2022 Sep 16.

Affiliations

¹ Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
³ Dental Sciences Research Center, Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran.
⁴ Department of Basic Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Duhok, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
⁵ Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran.
⁷ Senior Adult Oncology Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA; Department of Oncology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
⁸ Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran; Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran. Electronic address: akbarimo@tbzmed.ac.ir.

Abstract

The emergence of a novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in December 2019 led to a global pandemic with more than 170 million confirmed infections and more than 6 million deaths (by July 2022). Studies have shown that infection with SARS-CoV-2 in cancer patients has a higher mortality rate than in people without cancer. Here, we have reviewed the evidence showing that gut microbiota plays an important role in health and is linked to colorectal cancer development. Studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a change in gut microbiota, which modify intestinal inflammation and barrier permeability and affects tumor-suppressor or oncogene genes, proposing SARS-CoV-2 as a potential contributor to CRC pathogenesis.

Keywords: COVID-19; Colorectal cancer; Gut microbiome.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Colorectal Neoplasms*
Dysbiosis
Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / genetics
Humans
SARS-CoV-2